Moments after India’s thrilling six-run win at The Oval to level the five-Test series 2-2, Mohammed Siraj found himself in the middle of a different kind of challenge, but this time, it was off the field. In a video shared by the BCCI, pacer Arshdeep Singh is seen hilariously forcing Siraj into filming a two-second Instagram reel, asking him to say the popular catchphrase, “Pressure? What pressure?” — a line made famous by football legend Alan Shearer during the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. The quote has since been used widely by athletes across sports. Siraj, clearly confused by the request, asked Arshdeep, “Story ya post? (Is it for a post or a story?)” only for Arshdeep to quip back, “Abey, reel seedha, 2 second ki (It’s just a simple reel, two seconds long).” Laughing at his teammate’s hesitation, Arshdeep added, “Sab sikhana padta hai, bowling ko chhodke (We have to teach him everything except bowling).” Eventually, Siraj obliged and completed the reel to cheers from the team.
The interaction came shortly after Siraj had bowled India to a famous win, finishing with 5/104 and claiming the final wicket of Gus Atkinson with a searing yorker. India’s spirited defence on Day 5, led by Siraj and supported by Prasidh Krishna, saw them snatch victory from England’s grasp and end a remarkable series on even terms. While India celebrated the win with high emotion, England’s Chris Woakes also earned admiration for walking out to bat with an injured shoulder, ultimately ending unbeaten on 0 without facing a ball.
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But it was Siraj’s clutch performance and the light-hearted moment with Arshdeep that offered a glimpse into the team’s mood after the win, both under pressure, and after the win.
